Football Season Guide

League 2

England

League 2

2021/2022

Exeter City

In

Cameron Dawson (Goalkeeper, Sheffield Wednesday, Season-long loan); Harry Lee (Goalkeeper, youth); Scott Brown (Goalkeeper, Port Vale); Callum Rowe (Defender, Aston Villa); George Ray (Defender, Tranmere Rovers); Josh Coley (Midfielder, Maidenhead United); Timothee Dieng (Midfielder, Southend United); Jevani Brown (Attacker, Colchester United); Sam Nombe (Attacker, Milton Keynes); Sonny Cox (Attacker, youth)

Out

Jack Arthur (Goalkeeper, Bideford, Loan); Jökull Andrésson (r) (Goalkeeper, Reading, Loan ended); Jonny Maxted (sp) (Goalkeeper, Northampton Town); Lewis Ward (Goalkeeper, Swindon Town); Cheick Diabate (Defender, Truro City, Loan); Lewis Page (sp) (Defender, Harrogate Town); Rory McArdle (r) (Defender, Harrogate Town); Tom Parkes (sp) (Defender, Livingston); Will Dean (Defender, released); Jake Taylor (r) (Midfielder, Stevenage); Lewis Wilson (Attacker, released); Louis Morison (Midfielder, released); Noah Smerdon (Midfielder, released); Randell Williams (k) (Midfielder, Hull City); Robbie Willmott (sp) (Midfielder, Newport County, Loan ended); Alex Fisher (sp) (Attacker, released); Nicky Ajose (Attacker, released); Ryan Bowman (k) (Attacker, Shrewsbury Town)

Randell Williams move to Hull City this summer was the first of a number of key players to leave Exeter City. The Grecians are just one of a whole host of lower league clubs who struggle to hold on to their better players and, whilst Williams’ departure was expected, the sale of striker and leading goalscorer Ryan Bowman was more of a surprise and comes as a big blow. It is likely to get worse too before the transfer window closes at the end of August. Winger Joel Randall was outstanding last season and has a number of suitors. Full-back Josh Key is also a target for Sunderland and they will be latest graduates from the impressive youth system at St James Park, following in the footsteps of Matt Grimes, Ollie Watkins, Ethan Ampadu and Ben Chrisene. Manager Matt Taylor might be a pragmatist but losing his best players does not help his task of mounting another promotion challenge. Not making the play-offs last season having suffered the pain of losing in the previous three finals at Wembley might’ve been something of a blessing in disguise He still has work to do in the transfer market, adding to the additions already made in midfielders Josh Coley and Timothee Dieng from Maidenhead United and Southend United respectively. Both look to be shrewd signings whilst striker Jevani Brown has plenty to prove after leaving Colchester United.

Target

Play-offs. Whether it’s a realistic target remains to be seen as Taylor continues to work against the odds.